how to be vegan

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WHAT IS A VEGAN DIET?

A vegan diet is made up entirely of plant-based ingredients and excludes products derived from animals. It is based on:

+  NO MEAT, FISH OR ANIMAL PRODUCTS, SUCH AS ANIMAL FAT OR GELATINE

+  NO DAIRY PRODUCTS, SUCH AS COW OR GOAT’S MILK, CHEESE OR YOGHURT

+  NO EGGS

+  NO HONEY

How to begin?

There’s no best way to start a vegan diet. One option is to go straight in and eat an entirely plant-based diet from the start. Alternatively, ease into vegan eating by starting with one plant-based meal a day, or one plant-based eating day each week. Some people just like to eat vegan after 6 pm! Just choose the method that’s right for you.

Whatever approach you take, life will be easier and tastier if you have the right ingredients on hand. Stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables, and choose your favourite items from the shopping list. Remember that if you pack your meals with flavour you’re less likely to pine for animal products, so don’t stint on herbs and spices.

Chances are that some of your favourite dishes are already plant-based or can easily be veganised, so focus on including these when planning your meals. Start swapping dairy milk for plant milk on cereal – you really won’t notice the difference after a day or two. Or grate vegan cheese onto your vegetable pasta dish instead of parmesan cheese. You might be surprised at how little you have to adapt some of the meals you already enjoy.

Eating right

A vegan diet is not automatically a healthy one. Chips (crisps) and sweets can be vegan, but a diet based on junk food obviously isn’t nutritious. However, a well-planned vegan diet can contain all the elements of healthy eating.

Make sure you consume high-fibre, low-kilojoule foods such as fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes balanced with some high (good) fat foods such as oils, nuts, avocados and dried fruit. Eat lots of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables; less colourful bananas and potatoes are useful sources of protein but lack important nutrients. Also make sure there are plenty of starchy foods (potatoes, rice, grains, bread) and beans and pulses in the mix.

Carefully read the nutrition chart on the opposite page and factor in this information when planning your diet. If you remove animal products from your cooking it is crucial that you know how to obtain all the nutrients you need without them. In particular, vegans need to ensure they eat enough calcium, iron and vitamin B12. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should take specialist advice. Please note that the nutritional information applies to adults and not children.